LONG BEACH : Naval Station Could Close Next Year, Officials Warn
The Long Beach Naval Station could be closed next year instead of in 1996 to save the Defense Department money, officials said Tuesday.
Adm. Barney Kelly, commander of the Pacific fleet, recently recommended to Adm. Frank Kelso, the chief of naval operations, that the base be closed earlier than scheduled. Navy officials said Tuesday that no decision has been made. The base was included on the list issued in 1991 by the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
“Accelerating the closure may help the Navy and taxpayers avoid substantial future operating expenses,” said a statement issued Tuesday by Kelly’s office in Honolulu.
City officials have said the closure would cost the area almost $1 billion in jobs and business. The base has about 900 civilian employees and an annual payroll of $350 million.
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